The second part to the massive media consumption that was winter 2020-21. This isn’t anything new, but the stuff I’m recommending to y’all sure is. Enjoy!
Books
Note: always check trigger warnings and age recommendations online!
Sci-Fi
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
In 2380, Tyler, the top graduate of an interstellar military academy, is ready to recruit the best team possible and go on his first mission. Instead, he ends up rescuing the sole survivor of a space accident, a girl who has been trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries. This leaves him with a squad of misfits that no one else in the academy wanted, but this crew might end up being the last hope for the entire galaxy.
Found family
Six Of Crows + An Ember in the Ashes but sci-fi
There is not a dull moment this book; it’s really fast-paced and it’s like one big adrenaline rush
Important note: Jay Kristoff is problematic — do your research, and I’d buy second-hand if I could
Fantasy
A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
Fourth and final installment of the An Ember in the Ashes series
Magical powers and spirits + super action packed
An Ember in the Ashes is what got me back into reading in the first place so I highly highly recommend reading it
I teared up at the table of contents. I started sobbing during the first 100 pages.
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those who defy his autocratic father, the sultan. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her world, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs, and and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.
Slow-burn enemies to lovers and found family trope
The angst. The lovely writing. The tension. The culture. The lovable side characters. The knife to the throat scene. The laughs. The adrenaline. I love it all.
If you liked An Ember in the Ashes, then you’ll absolutely love this
If you read it, here’s the glossary/pronunciation guide that would’ve helped my little pea brain if I didn’t find it while reading the second to last chapter
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Reimagining of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai
Eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal. But when gangsters on both sides start to go mad, the people start to whisper. Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.
Enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers (...it’s complicated)
Chloe Gong is only 22, but her writing is absolutely beautiful
I was speechless for the entire end of the book I love the characters and the story (and the plot twists) so much
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, but she is taken to become one of the Paper Girls. While training to become a king’s consort, she falls in love. Lei must decide how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.
Forbidden romance and wlw
Natasha Ngan did an amazing job incorporating Asian culture into a fantasy world
Lei and this story as a whole make me feel so seen. Much love for Natasha Ngan because she has outdone herself with this world building and character development
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
When a royal messenger summons her ailing father to court, Maia Tamarin risks her life to pose as a boy and take his place. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, who seems to see straight through her disguise. And with the emperor’s seemingly impossible final challenge, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Basically Project Runway + Mulan
Enemies to lovers, fake dating, and forbidden romance
I love the incorporation of Asian culture in this book, I love the main character with all my heart, and Edan reminds me of Jest from Heartless
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Backstory for the infamous Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. All she wants is to open a shop with her best friend, but her mother disapproves. Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker, they enter into a secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny, but fate has other plans.
Forbidden romance
Many of the characters from Alice in Wonderland appear in this story, and I fell in love with all of them
Marissa Meyer also included a lot of Alice easter eggs, which were fun to pick up on
Important note: Marissa Meyer is problematic — do your research, and I’d buy second-hand if I could
Pics from Chicago after that huge fantasy section
Contemporary
More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn
Luke, host of a popular podcast, and Vada, music blogger and aspiring music journalist, partner up for a project, while simultaneously hiding long-time crushes on each other
(Very flirty) friends to lovers
My heart is warmed. I want a love song-writing, longboarding, British-accent bearing Luke Greenly. Let me be clear though, I also adore Vada so much it’s unreal.
Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian
Takes place in 1989 New York City
Reza is an Iranian boy who has just moved to the city. He knows he's gay, but he’s terrified, and all he knows of gay life are the media's images of men dying of AIDS. Judy is an aspiring fashion designer who worships her uncle Stephen, a gay man with AIDS who devotes his time to activism. Judy has never imagined finding romance...until she falls for Reza. Art is Judy's best friend, their school's only out and proud teen. He'll never be who his conservative parents want him to be, so he rebels by documenting the AIDS crisis through his photographs. As Reza and Art grow closer, Reza struggles to find a way out of his deception that won't break Judy's heart.
Love triangle
I think I cried on three separate occasions during this book. The story? I love it. The characters? Even better.
TW: homophobia, racism, bullying, death of loved ones, use of d and f slur, deadnaming of a trans character
The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith
The story of a young woman navigating her years in high school as she struggles to find strength in the aftermath of an assault.
I could not put this book down. It’s not a lighthearted book, but it tells a very important story.
TW: rape (graphic), sexual assault, substance abuse
Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
Chloe Wang hires a boyfriend from Rent for Your ’Rents, a company specializing in providing fake boyfriends trained to impress even the most traditional Asian parents. Drew Chan’s passion is art, but after his parents cut him off for dropping out of college to pursue his dreams, he became a Rent for Your ’Rents employee to keep a roof over his head. But when Chloe starts to fall for the real Drew—who, unlike his fake persona, is definitely not ’rent-worthy—her carefully curated life begins to unravel. Can she figure out what she wants before she loses everything?
Inspired by a real-life practice in some Asian countries where women hire fake boyfriends to bring home, commonly at Lunar New Year, to alleviate the pressure from family to find a husband.
Fake-dating trope and Taiwanese-American characters
I swooned. I cried. I laughed. I loved it all.
Movies/TV Shows
Wonder Woman 1984 (movie): watched this one with my siblings; standard superhero movie, so very action-packed
Dash & Lily (Netflix show): cute holiday romance where the two characters pass letters back and forth via a shared notebook; when I tell you I binged this show in under 6 hours I’m not lying to you; so… if I left a notebook in a bookstore what’s the probability that it’ll get picked up by a hot commodity of a teenage boy and we fall in love
Fate: The Winx Saga (Netflix show): based on the 2004 cartoon about fairies at boarding school (magical powers!), but targeted for a more mature audience; I heard it’s pretty different from the original series, but it’s a great show just on its own without comparing it to the original
Tiny Pretty Things (Netflix show): drama about a ballet school; the old Australian show Dance Academy but much darker; note: this is rated TV-MA -- TW: homophobia, eating disorders, drug/alcohol use, sexual assault, bullying, racism
Alexa and Katie (Netflix show): super lighthearted, Disney-channel-type sitcom about two best friends navigating through high school and one of those girls’ journey with cancer
Miraculous Ladybug (Netflix show): another lighthearted show about teenage superheroes that has Renegades by Marissa Meyer vibes; TikTok convinced me to watch it and you know, TikTok is always right
Music
Anything slowed with reverb -- look it up on YouTube (my favorites: “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off”, “Sweater Weather”, “I Lived”, “Someone To You”)
“The Good Times and the Bad Ones” - Why Don’t We (my favorites: “Fallin’ (Adrenaline)”, “Love Song”, “Grey”)
“drivers license” - Olivia Rodrigo
“Greek Tragedy” - The Wombats
“Pierre” - Ryn Weaver
“what i’ll remember” - Emily James
“Mine” - Felix Cartal and Sophie Simmons
“Stay” - Gracie Abrams
“Shame Resurrection” - Andrea Di Giovanni
“rubberband” - Tate McRae
“Remember That Night?” - Sara Kats
“Is It Just Me?” - Emily Burns
“Cry Over Boys” - Alexander 23
“Did You Call Me Last Night” - Ben Laine
“i’m lonely” - Luz
“One More Weekend” - Maude Latour
YouTube Channels
Casey Aonso: she makes commentary videos on things circulating in the social media world (ex: YouTuber and celebrity quarantine blunders) -- this girl is hilarious but also so interesting please go watch her videos
Shan Rizwan: Boston College student who makes student life videos (you may have seen his “Guessing Majors at Harvard University” videos) -- he seems like such a chill guy and I’d love to be his friend
Kaiti Yoo: junior at Brown who makes lifestyle and fashion videos -- funny and intelligent queen
Megan and Ciera: physical therapy students at the University of Iowa who make college videos and vlogs (I also love their podcast According Two!)
Carolynn Shada: former ballet dancer (married to Jeremy Shada aka Finn from Adventure Time and Reggie from Julie and the Phantoms) who makes lifestyle videos and vlogs
Lauryn Doan: college student who makes lifestyle videos and college vlogs (queen of “productive day in my life” videos)
Julia Bedell: high school senior + gymnast who makes lifestyle videos + vlogs
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